David Price fans nine in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 win over Yankees

NEW YORK — David Price can’t control the trade speculation. The opposing hitters, he can handle them just fine.

Price came one pitch from extending his remarkable strikeout streak, yet still did plenty to lead the resurgent Tampa Bay Rays over the New York Yankees 2-1 Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.

“Stay here, David,” Rays manager Joe Maddon implored.

Price (7-7) struck out nine — he fanned at least 10 in each of his previous five starts, and was trying to join Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to accomplish the feat six straight times.

The left-hander gave up four hits and was pulled after seven innings and 119 pitches.

Price has said that the more the Rays win, the better chance he has of staying with his original club. “I just play ball,” the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner said. “That’s my job.”

Notes

• Texas finally ran out of patience with left-hander Joe Saunders, who was designated for assignment after going winless in eight starts. “I just don’t think it’s worked out to his liking, and we just wanted to try something new and different at this point,” assistant general manager Thad Levine said.

• A federal appeals court says it will reconsider Barry Bonds’ felony conviction for obstruction of justice. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a special panel of 11 judges will review a 2011 jury verdict finding Major League Baseball’s all-time home-run leader guilty of giving evasive testimony to a grand jury investigating elite athletes’ use of performance-enhancing drugs.

• Atlanta placed catcher Evan Gattis on the 15-day disabled list. Gattis has a bulging disk in his back.